Auxiliary shutter panel assembly

ABSTRACT

A shutter panel assembly for attachment to existing building shutters and comprising a front shutter panel member decorated or capable of being decorated and which is formed to include rearwardly disposed wall flanges having inturned edges to which a second shutter panel member may be attached for providing a back wall and an enclosed space for electrical wiring and other uses therebetween. And slot openings in the side wall flanges of the front panel member near its top and bottom edges through which are projected adjustable clamp arm assemblies under the tension of a biasing spring between the panels for self-adjustment thereof and retentive engagement with the side edges of a supportive regular shutter therebehind.

Unite States atent Sowle Oct. 2, 1973 [54] AUXILIARY SHUTTER PANEL ASSEMBLY 3,421,259 1/1969 Egan 52/203 X [76] lnventor: Niles M. Sowle, 1156 Herbert J. St.,

- Jackson Mich 49202 Primary Examiner-Price C. Faw, Jr.

AttorneyDale A. Winnie [22] Filed: July 26, R972 [21] App]. No.: 275,297 57 ABSTRACT A shutter panel assembly for attachment to existing [52] US. Cl. 52/202, 40/l30 R, 49/62, il shuters and comprising a front shutter panel 52/311, 52/506 member decorated or capable of being decorated and [51] lint. Cl E06b 1/34 which is formed to inchlde rearwardly disposed wall [58] Field of Search 52/202, 203, 473, flanges having intumed edges to which a second Shutter 52/311, 505, 1 122; 49/62; 160/1);- 1; panel member may be attached for providing a back 40/132 133 R1 130 R wall and an enclosed space for electrical wiring and other uses therebetween. And slot openings in the side [56] References Cited wall flanges of the front panel member near its top and UNITED STATES PATENTS bottom edges through which are projected adjustable 1,889,206 11 1932 Lipschultz l60/DIG. 1 x Clamp arm assemblies under the tension of a biasing 2,244,432 6/1941 Schuxb 49/62 spring between the panels for self-adjustment thereof 2,714,546 9/1955 Lesniak 52/202 X and retentive engagement with the side edges of a sup 2,836,9[3 6/1958 Thomson et a]. 40/132 R X -five regular hutter therebehind 3,124,501 3/1964 Wist 52/506 X 3,328,927 7/1967 Kates 52/311 X 6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures Ill/l =i7/////////////////////////////4(fl////////////// 11.1 Ill]! 1/ Ill/ AUXILIARY SHUTTER PANEL ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Although it is relatively common to see shutter panels provided on each side of the windows in many homes and stores, they are seldom actually operable to close the windows. Instead, they are usually fastened flat against the building wall beside the windows and are purely decorative.

Because such shutter panels are considered to be essentially decorative, in themselves, and because it is usually difficult and almost impossible to fasten anything to them, without defacing the shutters in some way, they are seldom used even when the rest of the outside of a house or store is decorated for a festive occasion, or to advertise a sale, or the like.

For example, even atChristmas time, when it is common to hang winter green roping and strings of lights about the doorways and under the eaves, and to place other decorations and lights in the windows, and even to wrap the doors with a decorative foil paper, the window shutters are not used except for possibly a wreath, if a hook can be caught in their slats or wedged back of the top edge.

Even stores seldom use their shutters for any advertising purposes since it is too difficult to fasten anything to them or to change a display once it is up.

Aside from the fact that most shutter panels are fastened flat against a building wall, it will also be appreciated that there is often shrubbery in front of the window, particularly with houses, and that they are hung to the full height of the windows, which makes it difficult to gain access to them. As a consequence any decorative or other use to be made of such shutters requires some relatively quick and easy means of attaching and removing whatever it is from the shutters.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention includes an auxiliary or secondary shutter panel assembly with means for readily attaching it to, and removing it from, an existing shutter panel. I

The shutter panel of this invention includes a decorative front shutter panel member of a standard size closely approximating the average width and length of most house window shutters. It is formed to include side and top wall flanges which extend rearwardly to provide a space behind the front panel for wiring for lights used on the decorative panel, if and as desired. And it has inturned edges on the side and top wall flanges for retaining a back wall panel, if needed, as for further weather protection for any wiring used.

Slots are provided in the side wall flanges of the decorative panel, near its top and bottom edge, and adjustable clamps extend through these slots for engagement with the side edges of a supportive shutter panel of greater width over which the decorative panel is to be hung. And, a tensioning spring is fastened between the clamps on opposite sides of the decorative panel, within the space provided behind it, to assure centering of the decorative panel on the regular shutter and a tight and firm clamping engagement therewith.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a part of a building window showing its normal shutter with the decorative shutter panel of the present invention mounted on FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the top part of the decorative shutter panel, by itself.

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged cross-sectional view showing the clamping means, as seen in the plane of line 33 in the first drawing figure.

FIG. 4 is another cross-sectional view, of a corner of the decorative panel structure, showing one form of back wall attachment.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of a fragmentary part of a decorative shutter panel assembly, showing a means of extending the length thereof.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the shutter panel assembly shown in the immediately preceeding drawing figure.

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the corner of a molded plastic front shutter panel member showing a certain innovation provided thereon.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view through part of the molded plastic shutter panel showing the back wall attachment at the bottom, and

FIG. 9 is a top view of the same construction with the back wall shown in dotted outline as engaged with the top wall retaining lip.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS A window 10 is shown in the first drawing figure with a regular shutter panel 12 affixed flat against the building wall right beside it and with a decorative shutter panel 14, embodying the various features of the present invention, mounted in turn on it.

The decorative panel 14 is held on the regular window shutter 12 by means 16 shown at each side of the decorativepanel, near its' top and bottom edges, andwhich will be described in fuller detail later. The design provided on the panel is of a Christmas tree 18 with multicolored lights 20 on the tree, which are in fact projecting through holes in the panel to give this illusion.

The decorative shutter panel 14 is an assembly of parts which includes a front shutter panel member 22 formed to include rearwardly disposed sidewall flanges 24 and 26, a top wall flange 28 and a bottom wall flange 30. Each of the wall flanges is also formed with an inturned edge 32, 34, 36 and 38 respectively to which a back wall panel 40 may be attached.

In the shutter panel assemblies shown in drawing FIGS. 1-6 the panel members are made of sheet metal and accordingly sheet metal screws 42 are .used to fasten the back wall panel 40 to the inturned wall flange edges.

With the back wall in place, there is provided an enclosed space 44 between the front and back panel members within which the wiring for the Christmas tree lights, or other decorative lights, is readily housed and protected from the weather. Even without the back panel 40, it will be appreciated that a like space exists due to the side wall flanges of the front panel member which spaces it apart from the regular shutter on which it is mounted.

Within the space 44 provided behind the front shutter panel member 22, near its top and bottom edges, is

a spring 46 in tension and with its opposite ends engaged to the ends of the means 16 for holding the decorative panel to a regular shutter member.

The spring 46 actually engages bracket members 48- which extend through slots 50 in the side wall flanges 24 and 26, near the top and bottom wall edges-of the front panel member. Each bracket member 48 has an inner end 52 bent at right angles for the spring to hook onto and an outer end 54, also bent at right angles, to which a rearwardly disposed second bracket member 56 is attached. The latter includes an elongated slot 58, which together with a wing nut fastener 60 enables it to be relatively adjusted, and it has an inbent end 62 which enables it to engage behind and to the edge of a regular shutter panel.

The decorative shutter panel 14 is preferably of substantially the same width and length as a standard size regular shutter. Although it has been shown in FIG. 1 as somewhat narrower, it will be appreciated that the inbent ends of the retenative bracket parts 56 enable the decorative panel to be applied to a regular shutter of equal or even slightly greater width than it is.

To facilitate the mounting of a decorative shutter panel on a regular shutter, a flat metal tab 64 may be fastened to the top wall flange of the decorative panel, as shown best in FIG. 2, to overlie its back edge and serve as a stop and hanger to locate the top edge of the decorative panel relative to the top edge of the regular shutter.

A variation of the proposed shutter panels 14 is shown in FIGS. and 6 and is identified 114. The main shutter panel is essentially the same but an extended end 100 is shown as telescopically received within an open bottom end of the main panel and with multiple spaced holes 102 in its side wall flanges 104 which can be aligned with a like hole in the main panels side wall flanges. Then, by means of a snap fastener 106, the two can be held together with the extension 100 protruding below the main panel any given adjusted amount.

In the extendable shutter panels 114 it will be noted that the means 16 for fastening it to a regular shutter are provided within the extendable part.

FIGS. 7-9 show another form of decorative shutter panel 214. In this instance the shutter panel is formed of plastic and to include a series of knock-out holes 108 on its front face. These panels are for do-it-yourself decorators who can paint on or use decorative paper to provide any given design on the shutter panel and then knock-out such holes as are needed in given locations for any lights that are to be used.

Since the decorative panels are held flat against a regular shutter, and/or include a backing panel, the knock-out holes are not visible from a distance. Although a plain panel can be provided, and holes drilled where desired, this is an added convenience for those I who wish to make their own decorative designs or dis play panels.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show that such a molded plastic shutter panel may also be formed to include integral inturned edges 132 which will enable a back wall panel 140 to be slid or snapped into engagement with them. In such instances the preformed edges 132 are provided along the side and top wall flanges but not at the bottom, as shown in FIG. 8, so that the back wall panel can be moved up into engagement with the inturned edge along the top wall to provide a weather seal.

From the forgoing it will be seen that a decorative shutter panel assembly, of sheet metal, plastic or like material, can be provided with any desired type of decoration, and any lighting, for festive or holiday decorating, or for use in advertising or whatever.

The construction is relatively simple and consequently the shutters are relatively inexpensive to pro- 'duce.

The means for holding the decorative panel to a regular shutter are easy to adjust and simple to use. Moreover, they provide for a natural centering of the decorative panels on regular shutters merely by their use. One need merely catch the top wall tab 64 on the supporting shutter, then catch first one side wall set of bracket clamps to a shutter edge, and then the other, to complete the installation.

I claim:

1. An auxiliary shutter panel assembly for attachment to existing house shutters and the like, and comprising; a first shutter panel member formed to include rearwardly disposed side wall and top wall flanges having inturned edges, a second shutter panel member sized for retained engagement with said inturned edges and to provide an enclosed space behind said first shutter panel member, relatively aligned slot openings in said side wall flanges near the top and bottom edges thereof, relatively adjustable clamp arm assemblies having one end received in said slot openings and the other ends thereof disposed rearwardly and turned inwardly a spaced distance behind said second shutter panel member, and means within said enclosed space and engaging oppositely disposed of said clamp arm assemblies for biasing said clamp arm assemblies relatively together and for retenative engagement with a supportive member disposed relatively therebehind.

2. The shutter panel assembly of claim 1, said biasing means including a spring in tension and said clamp arm assemblies including first and second bracket parts relatively adjustable for use with supportive members of relatively different widths.

3. The shutter panel assembly of claim 2 including an extension panel telescopically received in engagement with said first shutter panel member, within an open end thereof, and having means on the side edges thereof for fixed location relative thereto.

4. The shutter panel assembly of claim 3 having the relatively adjustable clamp arm assembly relocated from the open end of said first shutter panel member into said extension panel.

5. The shutter panel assembly of claim 1 including means for providing openings within the face of said first shutter panel member receptive of lighting elements and the lighting elements having the electrically wiring therefor disposed within the enclosed space therebehind.

6. The shutter panel assembly of claim 1 having said first shutter panel member made of molded plastic and inclusive of said inturned edges formed for retaining and positioning engagement of said second shutter panel member in spaced relation therebehind.

III l I? I. 

1. An auxiliary shutter panel assembly for attachment to existing house shutters and the like, and comprising; a first shutter panel member formed to include rearwardly disposed side wall and top wall flanges having inturned edges, a second shutter paNel member sized for retained engagement with said inturned edges and to provide an enclosed space behind said first shutter panel member, relatively aligned slot openings in said side wall flanges near the top and bottom edges thereof, relatively adjustable clamp arm assemblies having one end received in said slot openings and the other ends thereof disposed rearwardly and turned inwardly a spaced distance behind said second shutter panel member, and means within said enclosed space and engaging oppositely disposed of said clamp arm assemblies for biasing said clamp arm assemblies relatively together and for retenative engagement with a supportive member disposed relatively therebehind.
 2. The shutter panel assembly of claim 1, said biasing means including a spring in tension and said clamp arm assemblies including first and second bracket parts relatively adjustable for use with supportive members of relatively different widths.
 3. The shutter panel assembly of claim 2 including an extension panel telescopically received in engagement with said first shutter panel member, within an open end thereof, and having means on the side edges thereof for fixed location relative thereto.
 4. The shutter panel assembly of claim 3 having the relatively adjustable clamp arm assembly relocated from the open end of said first shutter panel member into said extension panel.
 5. The shutter panel assembly of claim 1 including means for providing openings within the face of said first shutter panel member receptive of lighting elements and the lighting elements having the electrically wiring therefor disposed within the enclosed space therebehind.
 6. The shutter panel assembly of claim 1 having said first shutter panel member made of molded plastic and inclusive of said inturned edges formed for retaining and positioning engagement of said second shutter panel member in spaced relation therebehind. 